


Found Family

by lake_writes



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Multi, Neglect, Trans Male Character, Trans Saihara Shuichi, also we stan Koemi Ouma, i'll add more tags as they need to be updated, idk if those all really apply to the storyline here, im just tagging to be safe, oh shuichi also has adhd, she's my wife and i love her, uuuh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:22:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22959382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lake_writes/pseuds/lake_writes
Summary: Kokichi Ouma can't help but notice the distance between Shuichi Saihara and their other classmates. Knowing the rumors flying around, accusing Shuichi of being stuck up due to his wealthy status, he sets off to become closer to the boy and get to the bottom of Shuichi's problems. However, what he finds is not what he expected at all.Discord server: https://discord.gg/fbfnQxv
Relationships: (will add more as they appear) - Relationship, Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Comments: 36
Kudos: 319





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I want to give a huge thank you to Achi for letting me bounce ideas off of her while I'm writing and putting up with me screaming over how scenes are going ;; w ;;
> 
> You've helped so much with this first chapter alone (and the universe in general) that you've truly earned yourself the title of co-creator. Thank you so much!!

Kokichi Ouma looked thoroughly bored. Bored with life, bored with this stupid class… bored with everything really. He sat at his desk with his chin in his hand, staring blankly up at the whiteboard as the teacher scribbled all sorts of useless junk and facts on the white surface with an annoyingly dry and squeaky black marker. God, and he already knew all this stuff too. Why did they bother going over the same material over and over again? Just let the smart ones go and leave the dumbasses to drool over lessons. Only half-listening to the lecture, he allowed his eyes to wander over the classroom, jumping from face to face only to linger on the dark blue locks of the class enigma. Shuichi Saihara. His golden eyes were trained intently on the whiteboard, the eraser of the mechanical pencil caught between his teeth as his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

He was strange, that was for sure. Whispers flew all around the school, rumors of how stuck up and high and mighty he thought he was piled up around him until he seemed to be almost shrouded in them, all because of who his parents were. All they were were some bigshot famous pricks that ended up on the TV a lot.

Kokichi tilted his head to the side, frowning as he stared at him. He didn’t really seem like the type of person to flaunt his wealth. It was odd. Nothing he had heard ever matched up with what he was seeing before him now. All he saw was a lonely (and attractive, his traitorous mind supplied) boy who spent all of his time alone. His gaze turned thoughtful as he continued to stare, losing complete interest in the lesson to shift the focus onto Shuichi.

He jolted upright when the bell rang, his lips parted in surprise and his eyes blown wide at the loud sound. His notebooks fell next to him with a thud, he must have knocked them off by accident when he moved. Shuichi’s head had swiveled toward him at the sound, and their eyes met suddenly. Kokichi’s face turned pink as Shuichi held his gaze, and he quickly looked away, ducking his head as he bent down to pick up his things. He could only see Shuichi’s shoes (which were scuffed, much to Kokichi’s surprise. Weren’t rich kids supposed to be clean, no matter what?) linger for a moment before they turned, leaving the room, quietly clicking against the tile floor.

Kokichi heaved a huge sigh, closing his eyes as he straightened up, staring up at the ceiling for a moment as he willed his blush to fade. He didn’t have time for this. He shook his head, stuffing his notebooks in his bag before shouldering it and leaving for the cafeteria.

He could hear his friends before he could even see them. He rounded the corner, a smile lighting up his face when he saw them. Rantaro was sitting in the chair backwards, no doubt being given the evil eye by at least three teachers for it, Kaito was shouting something, as he usually did, and Miu was scribbling something furiously in her notebook, probably for a new invention idea or something. “Hey slut,” he greeted the blonde, dropping his stuff in the chair next to her. “What’re you working on now?”

Instead of reacting how she usually would, Miu glared at him half-heartedly. “Not now, twink. Can’t you see this gorgeous genius is working hard to make a breakthrough?”

Kokichi scoffed, rolling his eyes as he grinned. “A breakthrough on what, how to keep your stinky dick breath from killing every plant within a five mile radius?”

Now that seemed to get a reaction out of her. She groaned quietly, squirming in her seat. “D-Dick breath..?” she stuttered, freezing after a moment as she remembered where she was. “Wha- hey! I do not have dick breath! And besides, you’re just jealous because I get laid way more than you do!”

Kokichi bit back a laugh. “Is that really what you think? I’ll have you know I have a looong list of guys that I’ve slept with would be totes willing to do it again.” He grinned slyly. “I think the list is around… five thousand now?” He pressed a finger to his cheek, pretending to be lost in thought.

“Wha-! There’s no fuckin’ way you’ve slept with that many guys! There aren’t even that many guys in this school!” Miu protested, slamming her notebook down on the table, drawing the attention of a few passersby.

Kokichi just laughed, folding his arms behind his head. “I never said they all went to this school,” he hummed, his teeth gleaming through his grin.

Miu opened her mouth, no doubt to retort, but her words were lost on Kokichi. His attention had been diverted elsewhere. Shuichi had walked past their table and seated himself at one not too far away, alone, and obviously so. A frown tugged at Kokichi’s lips again as he saw Shuichi glance to his right and his left before settling in with what was possibly the saddest smile he had ever seen. A hand suddenly invaded his field of vision, and he jolted backward with a surprised shout. “Yo, earth to Cockitchy!” Miu called, wiggling her fingers in his face.

Playfully, Kokichi snapped his teeth at the offending appendages, making her pull back quickly with a glare. “What is sooo important that you dare disturb me, peasant?” Kokichi demanded, although his demeanor suggested that he wasn’t being serious.

“You were zonin’ out, it was weird,” Miu said, frowning. “What the hell’s got you acting so spacey?”

Rantaro leaned forward with a frown. “You were staring at that Saihara kid, weren’t you?” he asked, his eyebrows drawing together. “Why? He’s stuck up. He doesn’t even bother to sit with anyone or talk to anyone.” Miu nodded her agreement, glancing at said student as he picked around at the food on his plate.

Kokichi frowned. “Yeah, sure, he doesn’t sit with people or talk with people,” he said, crossing his arms. “But dontcha think it might be because nobody ever bothers to talk to him?”

“It’s not like he’s made an effort,” Kaito suddenly chimed in, slapping his hand down on the table. “I tried saying hi to him once and he just stared at me like I was an alien!”

Kokichi raised an eyebrow, looking bored. “Yanno, Momota-chan, I’d wonder if that were really the case if you weren’t so stupid.”

Kaito spluttered indignantly, his cheeks turning an angry shade of red as he tried to get a sentence out. Kokichi just laughed his horse-like laugh, doubling over slightly as Kaito’s mood worsened because of it. “I don’t think you should worry about that fuckstick,” Miu said, her voice cutting Kaito off completely. “He’s a fuckin’ loser who thinks he’s better than everyone else is in this damn place. He doesn’t deserve friends, no wonder he doesn’t have any.”

Shuichi seemed to have heard that from where he was sitting, Kokichi could see it in the way his shoulders slumped. Purple eyes glinted with annoyance and anger. “Are you serious, Miu? You’re really going to say that?” He stood angrily, grabbing his things. “I coulda said the same thing about you if I wanted to, and yet I didn’t. I gave you a fucking chance.” He shouldered his bag again. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other things I need to attend to.” And with that, he marched away.

Right to Shuichi’s table. The taller boy seemed to jump, looking up with wide eyes that so easily betrayed his surprise to see Kokichi’s beaming face. “A-Ah, um…” He stuttered, his cheeks turning red as he struggled to put together his words. “...Y-You’re Ouma-kun, r-right? What… are you doing over here?”

Kokichi plopped down in the chair next to him, giving him the biggest grin he could manage despite the anger still coursing through his system. “I’m gonna plan my next murder, Saihara-chan! You should know that by now!” He almost laughed at the alarmed look that crossed Shuichi’s face. “But that’s a lie! I thought you could use someone to sit with!”

Shuichi’s blush darkened, and he lowered his gaze, wearing that sad smile from earlier. “No one has ever offered to sit with me before… Well, that one kid with white hair did, once, but he didn’t do it ever again…”

Kokichi frowned. That sad smile was starting to get to him. He poked Shuichi’s cheek with a finger, trying his best to keep a straight face at the (cute) surprised look on his face at the contact. “Stop smiling like that. It makes me wanna punch something.” Okay, not entirely a lie, but good enough.

Shuichi blinked a few times before his hand slowly lifted to cover his mouth. “...Is my smile really that bad?” he asked. Kokichi flinched inwardly at the hurt tone to his voice.

“I- fuck,” he groaned, dragging his hand down his face. “No, no, that’s not what I meant. When you smiled, you looked sad. A happier smile would suit you better.” God, he was being so honest now, it made him feel almost sick to his stomach. Almost.

Shuichi tilted his head to the side, like a puppy, Kokichi found himself thinking. A new smile came across his face, tentative, yet eager to trust, and genuine. “Like… Like this?” Shuichi asked quietly.

Damn, Kokichi’s heart felt as if it were going to explode. He looked away quickly to hide the heat rushing to his face. “Y-Yeah, like that,” he stuttered, covering his mouth with his hand. “Exactly like that.”

Kokichi watched from the corner of his eye as Shuichi’s smile widened, slowly and just a little bit unsure. The expression sat awkwardly on his face, clearly not used to being there, especially for any substantial period of time. Once Kokichi calmed the raging blush on his face, he swung around, giving Shuichi a bright grin of his own as he poked his cheek again. “See? See? You look soooo much less ugly, Saihara-chan!”

Shuichi’s smile slipped from his face, leaving a confused and even hurt-seeming smile in its wake. “I’m ugly?” he asked, his eyebrows drawing together. There was a sad glint in his eyes now, and he looked back down to his plate of food, which had gone untouched.

Kokichi rolled his eyes. “Goood, it’s no fun if you just believe everything I say, Saihara-chan!” he groaned, letting his head fall to the surface of the table. “I’m a liar, I tell lies! Don’t take everything I say so seriously!”

Shuichi’s frown remained stationary on his face, although the hurt tone it had possessed was gone now. “You’re a liar?” He tilted his head to the left. “How am I supposed to know what you say is a lie and what you say is the truth?”

Kokichi offered no other response than a grin and a shrug before glancing back down at Shuichi’s plate. “You gonna eat that? There’s no way you bought it just to stare at, it all looks disgusting.” The taller boy’s eyes widened as he remembered his meal, quickly tucking into it, eating with rapid bites. He paused after a few moments, his eyes flicking to Kokichi’s face.

“Aren’t you gonna eat?” he asked, tilting his head before he gasped. “Do you not have money for food? I-I can give you some, if you need it.” He reached into his pocket, fumbling nervously with his wallet and dropping it on the floor with a yelp. “Shit! I-I’m sorry!” He dove down to retrieve it, and in his nervousness, he smacked his head on the underside of the table.

Kokichi flinched at the solid thunk that brought everyone’s attention to them, and he hurriedly ducked down as well, placing his hand on Shuichi’s back. “A-Are you okay?” He couldn’t help the stab of worry that overtook him. “Do you need me to take you to the nurse?”

Shuichi shook his head, wincing as he rubbed at the sore spot. “Ah… That’s gonna be a bruise…” he muttered to himself, closing one eye as his fingers brushed over the offending area. He managed a pained smile to Kokichi. “I’ll be fine, though, I’ve had worse happen to me.”

Kokichi’s eyebrows drew together at that confession, his frown deepening. “What do you mean? Are you a klutz or something?” Shuichi just shrugged one shoulder, keeping silent. Oh, Kokichi didn’t like the sound of that at all. There was a saddened glint in his gaze again, but other than that it was a solid wall, allowing no emotion to get through. Shuichi’s facial expression was much the same. There was no way that Kokichi would be able to get any answers, not today at least.

“S-So… about the money,” Shuichi began again. “Is that why you don’t have anything to eat?”

Kokichi shook his head, grinning brightly at the taller boy, trying his best to put the awkward situation behind him. “Nope! I’m not hungry in the slightest!” A brief pause. “Ah, but that’s a lie, too. I brought my own lunch from home.” He pulled a small container out of his backpack. “Seee?”

He blinked quietly at the container. “Did you make it?” he asked, glancing at Kokichi’s face for a moment before his gaze dropped back to the container.

Kokichi shook his head. “No, I had one of my slaves do it! But that’s a lie, my mom made it for me.” The change was instant. A quiet look of longing came over Shuichi’s face as he stared down at the container in Kokichi’s grip, but Kokichi could tell it wasn’t necessarily the food he wanted. His eyebrows furrowed at that, and he leaned his forward. “...Hasn’t your mom ever made you lunches to take to school?”

Shuichi shook his head, averting his gaze. “Not that I can remember. I asked her about it once, but…” He shrugged, his eyes glazed over as he tried to fight back the tears. He took a deep breath, blinking a few times as his eyes cleared before he forced a smile in Kokichi’s direction. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. Your mom seems like she’s a good cook.”

Kokichi opened his mouth to respond before quickly shutting it again. There was a note of finality in his tone that suggested that he didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He only nodded, prying open the container and staring down at the homemade lunch she had prepared with a soft smile. “She is. She’s one of the best I’ve ever known.” He glanced up at Shuichi, the smile growing ever softer. “Wanna try some?”

Shuichi visibly panicked, his eyes widening and his face turning red as he waved his hands about in front of him. “N-No, I couldn’t, she made it for you so you should eat it, i-it would only be wasted on me, anyway.” He returned his gaze down to his own plate, the school lunch having grown cold as they sat there. He pushed it around with his fork, grimacing as he forced mouthful after mouthful down his throat.

Kokichi kept glancing at Shuichi out of the corner of his eye as he began to eat his own lunch. Something about this wasn’t right. Shuichi seemed envious of the relationship he had with his mother, which didn’t sit right with him. What was keeping him from having a similar relationship with his own parents?

The bell rang for lunch, and everyone stood up in a wave, depositing their trash in the bins and filing out through the doors into the rest of the school. Shuichi began packing his things, making sure his binders and notebooks were all in place before he smiled at Kokichi. “I-I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked hopefully, his eyebrows quirking upward as he tilted his head.

Kokichi blinked, confusion overtaking his features. “Tomorrow? But don’t we have the same classes?”

Shuichi’s face tinted pink as he nodded, averting his gaze. “Y-Yeah, I just… have a doctor’s appointment I need to get to.” It didn’t seem like Shuichi was lying, given his hesitance to admit it. Kokichi knew not to pry, whatever it was was Shuichi’s own business, he didn’t need to know what it was.

He just grinned and nodded. “Of course, I’ll see you tomorrow. Same place at lunch?” Shuichi beamed, his eyes lighting up with pure joy as he nodded, waving goodbye to Kokichi before he sprinted out of the lunchroom and down the hall.

~~~~~

The rest of the school day was rather uneventful in Kokichi’s opinion. But, then again, when wasn’t it? He shouldered his bag, glancing at the empty desk where Shuichi usually sat before leaving the classroom, only to be bombarded by someone heavy throwing their arm over his shoulder. “There ya are, you fuckin’ virgin,” Miu exclaimed, rather loudly, in his ear. “You blew us off for the entire rest of the day, what were you thinking?”

Kokichi gave her an annoyed look, sighing heavily before he grinned. “I was thinking about how nice it was to not have the smell of your breath following me everywhere,” he exclaimed, fanning in front of his face as if he were trying to make a point.

Miu frowned at that, crossing her arms. “Okay, that was fuckin’ weak. You’re usually better with insults, what the hell’s eating at ya?” Her icy blue eyes seemed to bore into him, drilling for any weakness that she could exploit to drag the truth out of him. Kokichi tried to ignore it for as long as he possibly could before he heaved a sigh, hanging his head in defeat.

“It’s Saihara-chan, okay?” he huffed, sounding defeated. “Something about him doesn’t sit right with me is all.”

Miu’s lips pulled into a deeper frown, moving this time to have her hands on her hips. “You’re seriously still on about that virgin loser?” she asked, concern showing through her words despite the brash tone they carried. “I’m sure he’s fine, he’s been alone for a long ass time, it’s not as if he’s going to break.”

“Yeah, well so were you,” Kokichi snapped, lifting his head to glare at her now. Miu flinched back, her eyes widening. “You were about to do something fucking stupid, and I stopped you because I took the time to get to know you and care about you. I don’t want Saihara-chan to do the same.”

Her mouth opened and closed, gaping like a fish’s, before she slowly nodded. “...Yeah, I guess I get it,” she said quietly, averting her gaze as she fiddled with her fingers. “I… I-If there’s any way I can help, Kokichi, you can call me.”

Kokichi took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he nodded. “Right. Thanks, Miu,” he murmured before his teasing grin slipped back onto his face. “You know, for a vapid whore, you aren’t all that bad~!”

Miu spluttered a few times, her cheeks tinting pink as her face contorted with anger, although her eyes held a playful gleam. “Oh, shut up you fuckin’ shota!” she cursed, her hand flying out to ruffle Kokichi’s hair.

He ducked away and glared playfully at her. “Oooh, watch it, Miu! DICE’ll hafta come and get you if you do that again!”

Miu rolled her eyes and laughed. “Yeah, yeah, sure, like I’m afraid of your ragtag band of idiots,” she hummed. “Just… stay safe around that Saihara guy. I don’t want anything happening to ya.”

Kokichi stuck his tongue out at her. “When aren’t I? I look reckless, but I never go into anything without a plan. See ya later, Miu!” He waved at her as he took off running down the hall. He heard her shout something that sounded vaguely like ‘I know a lie when I hear one’, but he laughed it off. It was all in good fun, anyway.

Kokichi made it home in record time, throwing the door open in his usual fashion. “Mom! I’m home!” he called out, his grin widening as he saw her head peek around the corner.

“Welcome home, ‘Kichi,” she greeted, tilting her head as her eyes sparkled. “How was school today, dear?”

Kokichi slumped against the counter as he puffed out a sigh, closing his eyes and dropping his backpack to the floor. “It was alright, I guess,” he hummed, not having the heart to lie to his own mother. “I talked to that rich kid today, the one I was telling you about.”

“Oh?” Koemi tilted her head, her purple eyes gleaming with interest as she headed back to the sink where she had been drying dishes. “Mind telling me this rich kid’s name again? It seems to have slipped my mind.”

“Shuichi Saihara.” Kokichi flinched, shooting upright as the plate his mother had been holding slipped from her fingers, crashing against the tile and shattering into a million little pieces. “Mom, be careful,” he said quickly, rushing over and grabbing the broom and dustpan. “Back up, let me clean this up.”

Koemi’s fingers found their way into the fabric of her apron, her eyes dead serious as she stared Kokichi down. “...Saihara. As in… Masako’s kid?”

Kokichi paused, his eyebrows furrowing. Masako… Yeah, that sounded like it had been the name of Shuichi’s mother. “...Yeah, I think so,” he hummed, turning to her when he finished sweeping up the broken plate. “Why, do you know her?”

He paused. He had never seen such a look of anger cross his mother’s face, not directed at him nor anybody in his life. “...Are you serious?” she asked, her voice low. “She didn’t take her own child with her?”

“With her?” Kokichi questioned, reaching out and placing a hand on his mother’s arm. She calmed at the touch, blinking a few times before she focused on her son’s face again. Her lips pulled back into a grimace as she nodded.

“Masako and her husband have been overseas for the longest time,” Koemi murmured. “I thought they would have taken… Shuichi, you said?” A nod from Kokichi. “I thought they would have taken him along with them. Clearly, I expected too much from her.” She heaved a sigh, closing her eyes as she ran a finger through her own purple hair, pulling it back into a messy bun. “I’m going to make an extra lunch to take with you tomorrow. Share it with Shuichi, if you’d like. Invite him over, too.” She glanced at him again, a frown firmly in place on her lips. “From the sounds of it, he’s been alone for far too long.”

Kokichi let her words rattle around in his brain, an uneasy feeling of understanding settling in the pit of his stomach as he nodded. Shuichi had been alone, he knew that, but even at home? He caught his thumbnail in between his teeth as he stared blankly at the counter. No wonder Shuichi seemed jealous of his relationship with his own mother.

Kokichi barely noticed the rest of the day passing by, too lost in his own head and feelings of nervousness to really think about anything else. He only became aware of his surroundings again when he was laying in his own bed, staring up at the ceiling of his room, just barely illuminated by the small lamp on his bedside table. He found himself wondering if Shuichi were awake right now, like he was. Whatever the case, he just hoped he was okay. He drifted off to sleep, those sad golden eyes following him and plaguing his dreams. Although, he found he really didn’t mind that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fic update today! And at 11:11, awesome!!
> 
> This counts as another belated birthday gift to Achi since this was the first fic they wanted to see updated, Change of Plans being the second.
> 
> I actually had a difficult time writing this chapter, I just couldn't seem to get it to flow the way I wanted. I hope you all enjoy it regardless, though!

“Now, Kokichi,” Koemi hummed, her fingers drumming softly against the steering wheel as she pulled to a stop in front of the high school’s gates. She glanced at her son out of the corner of her eye, a teasing smile coming to her lips as she caught Kokichi’s blank expression as he stared down at his backpack that rested near his feet. She leaned over, elbowing him slightly, giggling as he let out a startled yelp. “Some fearsome leader you are,” she teased, grinning at him. “What would Mana-chan say if she saw her leader spacing out like that?”

Kokichi grimaced, suppressing a laugh. “She’d have my head, that’s for sure,” he hummed, lifting his bag into his lap. “A-Anyway, what were you saying?”

Koemi tilted her head, smiling warmly as she reached out, ruffling Kokichi’s hair. “I was going to remind you to give Shuichi the lunch, and invite him over,” she hummed. “He could use a night as a part of a family, you know?” Kokichi nodded, ducking away from her hand playfully.

“Stop, Mom,” he giggled out, grasping her wrist and pushing her hand back. “I gotta go, or else you’ll be late for work. Your boss seemed pretty mad the last time.”

Koemi only rolled her eyes, laughing softly. “Oh, as if that old bat could do any harm,” she hummed, her voice teasing. “We all know that I’m the most competent worker in the entire office.” Her eyes sparkled with warmth as Kokichi opened the car door, stepping out into the warm sunshine. “Have a nice day today, alright? Try not to get into too much trouble.”

Kokichi only offered a lopsided grin, his eyes mirroring the warmth in her own as he turned around, rushing through the gates and into the courtyard.

As usual, the courtyard was teeming with life. Students ran to and fro, shouting things at one another and joking around, sharing notes and spreading gossip, as they tended to do. Kokichi could hear Miu shouting something from their usual spot by the sakura tree closest to the fountain, possibly having gotten splashed by either Rantaro or Kaito. His gaze travelled from loner to loner, however, intent on picking Shuichi out of the crowd and forcing him to socialize for a bit, as he usually spent this time with his nose buried deep in a book. A frown teased at his lips when he found no sign of the blue-haired boy being anywhere nearby. Maybe he had found a different hiding spot today? He shrugged it off, making a mental note to ask Shuichi about it later.

“Hey! There’s the little abortion!” Miu’s voice rang loud and clear over the clamoring of the other students as she finally noticed Kokichi. He swung around to look at her, glaring playfully as he wandered over to his group.

“I thought I could smell rotting fish,” he groaned, pinching his nose and making a face as if he had smelt something awful. “What the fuck, Miu, are you seriously so stupid that you don’t know how to keep yourself clean?”

Miu squirmed from her seat on the fountain, her cheeks tinting pink as she looked away. “Sh-Shut up, dick-cheese, not like you’re any better,” she muttered, crossing her arms. Kokichi stuck his tongue out at her in response before grinning.

“And yet here I am, smelling fresh as a daisy!” He sniffed the collar of his uniform for added effect. “Ahhh, yep! Nice and clean!” He giggled, plopping down in the grass and fishing his homework out of his backpack. “Anyone got the homework finished? I wanna compare answers.”

“No way, dipshit,” Miu responded immediately. “The last time I gave you my fuckin’ homework, you changed all my answers. I’m not fallin’ for that shit again.”

Kokichi let out an offended gasp, pressing a hand to his chest dramatically as he stared, wide-eyed, at Miu. “Whaat? But I was only helping you, you got sooo many of the answers wrong! I just  _ had _ to fix them for you, as your friend!”

“Then tell me why the fuck I ended up failing that assignment, huh? I had to stay after class with that lousy teacher so he could yell at me!” Miu retorted as Rantaro wordlessly passed his homework to Kokichi, clearly amused by the situation.

“Maybe it’s because he realized what a dumb whore you are,” Kokichi bit back, sticking his tongue out as he compared his answers with Rantaro. “He thought private lessons would maybe get through to you, but we know that’s a lie, riiight?” Miu only stuck her tongue out at him, not dignifying him with a response. Kokichi snickered at that, quickly finishing with Rantaro’s homework and handing it back to him. “Hey, hey, have any of you seen Saihara-chan around? I usually see him out here reading a book, but he’s not anywhere today.”

“You’re seriously going to try and become friends with that guy?” Kaito asked, leaning forward to peer around Miu at Kokichi. “I thought yesterday was just going to be a one time thing.”

Kokichi shrugged, pretending to look bored as he lifted a hand to study his nails. “That’s what I said when you hung out with us, and yet here you are,” he quipped, grinning as Kaito’s jaw dropped. Miu snickered into the palm of her hand, and Rantaro grinned.

Kaito opened his mouth to retort, but the words were quickly drowned out by the sound of the five minute warning bell. Miu cackled loudly. “The little twerp was saved by the bell!” she crowed, grinning mockingly at Kaito. “Better luck next time, dumbass!”

The group dispersed quickly, with Kaito grumbling all the while, heading in separate directions to their classes as they entered the building. Shuichi’s absence didn’t sit quite right with him, it seemed, because it weighed heavily on his mind. What if something was wrong? What if he had gotten hurt somehow? He knew other kids bullied the taller boy, so it wasn’t completely impossible. He caught the tip of his thumb between his teeth, lost in thought as he continued on his way to the classroom.

“Ouma-kun!” Kokichi was snapped from his thoughts by a familiar voice, one that immediately lifted his spirits and brought a smile to his face. He turned, greeted by the sight of a red-faced Shuichi rushing to catch up to him. “I-I’m so sorry,” he gasped out as he pulled up beside him, bending over and resting his hands on his knees, attempting to catch his breath. “I-I was in the library looking for a book, a-and I lost track of time.”

Kokichi pouted, crossing his arms over his chest as he feigned a glare in Shuichi’s direction. “Geez, Saihara-chan, you coulda told me that sooner! I wasted a whole bunch of time looking for you this morning!”

Shuichi faltered, his eyes taking on a nervous glint as he bit at his lower lip. “Y-You were looking for me all morning?” he asked, his voice cracking anxiously. “I-I’m sorry, is there a-any way I can make it up to you?”

Kokichi tilted his head to the side, a finger pressed to his cheek as he pretended to think it over. “Hmmm~ what would be a worthwhile trade for my precious time?” he hummed, pursing his lips before he grinned. “Saihara-chan should tooootally join my super secret organization! We need some fresh meat anyway!”

“If it makes up for the fact that I inconvenienced you, then I’ll do it,” Shuichi exclaimed, leaning forward eagerly, a grin on his face. Kokichi blinked a few times, his smile melting into shocked blankness as he tried to process Shuichi’s words. This guy was willing to just jump in, no questions asked. Sure, DICE wasn’t anything big, nor too dangerous, but usually people were at least a little wary when it came up in a conversation.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Kokichi grinned, laughing as he folded his arms behind his head. “Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve had someone so eager to give their life to me,” he teased. “Well, welcome aboard, Saihara-chan! I trust you’ll follow any orders whenever they come~”

Shuichi nodded, his eyes gleaming determinedly. “Of course I will,” he responded. “Anything for Ouma-kun.”

“I-- Please don’t say that,” Kokichi sighed, shaking his head. “It sounds like I’m asking you to be my slave, and that’s  _ really _ not what’s happening here.” Shuichi nodded his head, his shoulders slumping slightly as he muttered another apology. “Now come on, Saihara-chan! I wanna draw on the teacher’s podium, and you’re gonna help me!” His hand flashed out, grasping at the taller boy’s wrist as he dragged him on down the hall.

“A-Ah! But we could get in trouble,” Shuichi stammered, his eyes wide. Kokichi snickered internally. So much for following any orders given to him, although he didn’t mind. The teacher would be at the podium already anyway, another prank already lying in wait.

~~~~~~

Kokichi groaned as the bell rang, signalling the end of class. “Can this day get aaany more boring?” he muttered, allowing his upper body to collapse against the cool material of the desk, his eyes shutting as he relished in the silence of the classroom.

“I would hardly call it boring,” came Shuichi’s voice, soft and gentle as always, from his right. Kokichi peeked one eye open to gaze at the taller boy as he crouched down to be at eye level with him. “Komaeda-senpai did end up tripping in the hallway with that bucket of paint. I don’t know much about him, but I’d have to say his luck was working in someone else’s favor, wouldn’t you agree?”

Kokichi shot upwards, his eyes widening as he let out an offended gasp. “Are you accusing  _ moi _ of asking Komaeda-chan to pass by the classroom with a bucket of glowing paint because I knew he’d trip and dump it all over the teacher as he was leaving to get something? How  _ could _ you, Saihara-chan?” He began to wail, tears welling up in his eyes and slipping down his cheeks.

“A-Ah, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi stuttered out, reaching out and resting a hand on his upper arm. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to m-make you cry.” He sounded so nervous and upset at himself for making him cry, it tugged at Kokichi’s heartstrings.

“You’re too easy to fool, Saihara-chan,” Kokichi giggled, his tears stopping as quickly as they had come. “I’m fine, I promise, see?” He grinned, sticking his tongue out at the other boy. “Now, come on. My mom made something suuper good for lunch, and I want you to try some of it!” He shot up from his desk, stretching out a hand to help Shuichi stand from where he was kneeling.

Shuichi took Kokichi’s hand with hesitance that didn’t go unnoticed, his eyes darting around wildly as he was pulled to his feet. “A-Are you sure I should try some?” Shuichi asked, the nervousness in his tone intensifying. “I’d hate to take food from you when you could be eating it.”

“Don’t be stupid!” Kokichi exclaimed, his grin widening as he tugged at the taller boy’s hand. “Mom made some  _ just _ for you, so you don’t have to worry about inconveniencing me or whatever! N-Not that you inconvenience me,” he added on quickly. “You do quite the opposite, actually! You’re tons of fun to be around!” God, what the hell was happening? Usually he’d play that sort of thing up as a lie, but with Shuichi… he was only ever honest. Okay, that was a lie, but still, it proved difficult to actually lie to Shuichi.

Shuichi let Kokichi drag him toward the lunchroom, his grip on his hand firm and warm. Kokichi couldn’t stop the flush rose to his cheeks as he felt Shuichi’s hold on him tighten when he stumbled over the rise in the floor in the doorway, and he did his best to will it away. He paused, glancing around the crowded room before he turned to the taller boy behind him. “Do you want to sit alone again? Or would you like to try sitting with my friends today?”

Golden eyes blinked, panic lighting in their depths as he worried his lower lip between his teeth and glanced nervously around the room. “...Just us, please,” he murmured after a moment, his hand shaking as he tightened his grip. “I don’t want to get picked on again…”

Kokichi hummed, nodding in understanding. Of course Shuichi would feel like that. Even without him directly saying it, it was clear his interactions with other students had never been good. He pulled Shuichi to the empty table without another word, pushing him down into a seat and flashing him a warm smile as he dropped his backpack onto the wooden surface with a solid thud. He reached inside of his bag, producing two containers, similar to the one he had had with him yesterday, passing one to Shuichi and prying off the lid. “Doesn’t it smell amazing?” Kokichi asked eagerly, pressing a plastic fork into the other’s hand.

Shuichi seemed entranced as he nodded, staring down at the meal, prodding at it hesitantly with the fork he had been given. He looked almost afraid to eat it, as if it would turn out to be some sort of joke, as if Kokichi would swoop in and scold him if he so much as took a small bite. Kokichi tilted his head, leaning down slightly so he and Shuichi were making eye contact, offering up a gentle smile when the taller boy glanced in his direction. There was another brief moment of hesitance before Shuichi nodded, more to himself than anything, and scooped some of the food into his mouth.

The reaction was instantaneous. His eyes widened as the flavor spread across his tongue, glossing over with tears that he hastily tried to wipe away. “It’s good, isn’t it?” Kokichi asked, leaning closer to Shuichi as he passed him a napkin. Shuichi swallowed quickly, coughing quietly into the napkin as he almost choked, the napkin pressed to his lips in case any of it decided to escape.

“Yes,” he responded, his voice a raspy whisper as he reached into his own bag for his bottled water. He tipped his head back quickly as he sipped from the bottle, allowing the cool liquid to slide down his throat. Kokichi watched with muted interest as he gulped the water down before releasing the bottle with an audible sigh, twisting the cap back on and setting it aside.

“Feeling better now?” Kokichi asked quietly, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand. He grinned as Shuichi gave a slight nod, his cheeks flushed both out of embarrassment and from the fact that he had been choking on food just a few moments prior. “Good, then we can move onto more important matters,” Kokichi cheered, stuffing some of his own food in his mouth and mumbling around it.

“More important matters?” Shuichi parroted, tilting his head as he took another bite of the lunch, making sure to be much more careful this time. “Like what?”

“Like what we’re going to do for the rest of the day, duh!” Kokichi exclaimed, brandishing his fork through the air. “Class is boring, and there’s  _ nooo _ way I’m sitting through that shit again. So you and I are gonna ditch, and then you’re coming to my house!”

“D-D-Ditch?” Shuichi stuttered, his eyes widening in shock. “But… But won’t we get in trouble for that? We could get detention, a-and then your mother could be mad at you and--” He cut himself off, dropping eye contact and fidgeting with his hands under the table. “I-I don’t… want you to get in trouble.”

Kokichi’s eyebrows drew together as he frowned, tilting his head. “...So what if I get in trouble for getting detention?” he asked, before he grinned. “I’m not afraid of that, I’ve done so many worse things, I have nothing to fear over a stupid detention!”

“Y… You’re not scared of getting in trouble?” Shuichi asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. His eyes glimmered with a thinly masked astonishment, his lips parted ever so slightly as he stared at the boy before him.

“Of course not,” Kokichi exclaimed. “Even if Mom gets mad at me, she loves me, and she does what she does out of the kindness of her heart!” He leaned forward, crossing his arms and using them as a pillow. “I’m sure your mom does the same, in her own way.” Shuichi’s lips dipped towards a frown before pulling back up into a light smile, although this smile was a bit more forced than it had been earlier.

“Y-Yeah… You’re probably right,” he murmured after a moment, before he nodded. “A-Alright. I’ll ditch with you.” The smile widened, still looking a tad unnatural and forced. Kokichi didn’t question him on it, not wanting to scare him off, make him more defensive than he was already being.

“Aah, there’s the henchman I was hoping to see,” Kokichi hummed, flashing his teeth at Shuichi in what he hoped was a comforting smile. Anything to relax the taller boy. It took a few moments, but the concern in his heart lessened as he saw Shuichi’s shoulders relax, his smile soften into something a lot more real, his eyes glittering with gentle warmth.

Kokichi mentally chalked that up to a win. Shuichi definitely needed to learn how to loosen up more, to ditch the anxiety that seemed to keep him wrapped in a shroud, and expose himself to the wonders that the world had to offer. Kokichi decided, then and there, that that would be his personal mission.

~~~~~~~

They spent most of the rest of the day hanging out in the library, Shuichi actually opting to read while Kokichi scribbled absentmindedly on a piece of paper. He was mostly doodling just random crap, like stars and little stick figures, although he did spend what was probably a good hour on another sheet, trying to memorize the features of his companion and immortalize them in solid lines of graphite. Unfortunately, he hadn’t exactly been very discrete in those actions, as Shuichi had noticed his staring and questioned him quietly on it, worried that he had left a bit of their lunch stuck to his cheek.

Kokichi had been quick to wave that worry away, hastily stuffing the unfinished drawing in his backpack, away from those prying golden eyes, cursing his face for heating up in a way that was most likely very unflattering and giving his cheeks that rosy hue that he fought to keep contained. Shuichi had accepted his words without a second thought, although a worried look persisted in his eyes, and now the worried boy would glance at him over his book every few moments. Kokichi had pulled out his homework to work on for the last few hours, scrawling equations across the page with practiced ease. “...Wow, you’re really good at math, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi commented, his breath ghosting over the shorter boy’s cheek, making him jump back with a startled cry.

“Saihara-chan,” Kokichi hissed, catching the nasty glare the librarian sent the two of them from her desk, “don’t do that! You can’t just sneak up on someone like that, you know? Ever heard of personal space?”

The slightly hurt look that crossed Shuichi’s face hurt Kokichi’s heart as the taller boy backed off, dropping eye contact and bowing his head in apology. “I-I’m sorry,” he murmured softly, clenching his hands into fists where they rested on his legs. “Y… You looked like you were concentrating really hard, a-and I didn’t want to disturb you while you were still working…”

Oof, okay, now that really got him. Kokichi groaned quietly, dragging his hands down his face before he shook his head. “I-It’s fine, Shuichi,” he said after a moment, offering up a gentle smile while holding out his hand. “Just… please, remember my personal space next time, okay? And don’t sneak up on people like that. I do it a lot, and trust me, you don’t want to get an elbow in the face.”

He couldn’t help a small chuckle at the worry that crossed Shuichi’s face, grasping his hand and pulling him to his feet, having already packed up his things. “Come on, the bell’s about to ring, and I want to beat the crowd to get to the gates. Mom’ll have something great cooked up for dinner too, I’m sure you’ll love it,” he continued on as he pulled Shuichi through the library doors and into the hallway.

“...Dinner?” Shuichi questioned, tilting his head. His eyes shone curiously as Kokichi glanced back at him over his shoulder, a grin on his face as always.

“Duh! You’re gonna come over to my house!” Kokichi exclaimed, his smile faltering only slightly at Shuichi’s expression.

“Wh-What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Catch me not knowing how to end a chapter--
> 
> I'm sorry if this chapter seems bad, I tried, and I hope you all enjoyed it regardless ;;


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning for all of you! There's an allusion to Shuichi's abuse as a child in this chapter, it's minor, but it could still be potentially triggering, so please, if you're sensitive to that material, proceed with caution!

Shuichi’s eyes were wide and questioning as he stared down at Kokichi, his lips parted in what could only be described as shock. Kokichi merely grinned back, his eyes sparkling with mischief and overall glee as he took in the taller boy’s expression. “You heard me!” he exclaimed, leaning closer to Shuichi. “You’re coming over to my house! Surely you’ve gone to a friend’s house before, right?”

Shuichi blinked a few times, a soft pink tint rolling over his cheeks as he glanced away, most likely embarrassed by his reaction. “A-Ah… No, I can’t say that I have…”

“Ehhh?” Kokichi frowned, his grip moving from Shuichi’s hand to his sleeve, tugging at the fabric as he leaned even closer still. “Not even in grade school? That’s lame, Saihara-chan…” He stuck his tongue out in distaste. He regretted his words when he saw the frown that tugged at his friend’s lips and the sadness that darkened his gaze even the slightest bit. “But! It’s okay now, because I can show you what it’s like!”

Grey-ish gold eyes lifted to meet violet, raw hope glimmering in their depths as he tilted his head. “Really…?” He paused for a moment, as if trying to consider his next question carefully. “Does… that mean Ouma-kun would be willing to come visit me at mine some time…?” The loneliness in his voice was almost painfully raw, and it made Kokichi’s heart clench. A hopeful smile tugged at his lips now as he tilted his head.

Kokichi, tongue now oddly heavy, could only manage to nod his head. “O-Of course, Saihara-chan,” he managed to squeak out. “A-After all, what’re friends for?”

Shuichi’s smile widened almost instantly, his eyes positively gleaming as he bounced on the balls of his feet. “Oh, thank you!” he gushed, his fingers coming into contact with Kokichi’s own, lacing them together and encasing his smaller hands in the warmth of his palms. “I haven’t had any visitors in so long! The last time, I believe I was only a child.” Oh, there went Kokichi’s heart, a huge crack right down the middle.

Shooting for an attempt at normalcy, he stuck his tongue out and giggled. “Well, that sounds super boring, so it’s a good thing that I’m here to make things suck a whole lot less, yeah?” he asked, adjusting his grip as he turned around, leading him down the hall again. “Mom’s gonna love you, I promise! She’s excited to meet you.”

Shuichi’s grip on Kokichi’s hand tightened ever so slightly at that, although at an attempt to keep Kokichi from letting go or out of nerves, the shorter boy couldn’t tell. Nonetheless, he reciprocated the motion, hoping that it would ease Shuichi’s mind in any way, shape or form. The last thing he wanted was for him to freak out over something.

It wasn’t long before they broke free from the school building, following the mass of students out into the courtyard where they all dispersed, either going to meet with their friends or heading to the gates to go home for the day. Today, Kokichi was among the latter. Usually he’d go and pester Miu for a bit, but since he was bringing a friend home, he wanted to head straight there, and not keep him waiting for anything. “Come on, come on!” Kokichi urged, tugging Shuichi easily along the sidewalk.

Shuichi yelped in surprise as his shoe caught in a crack in the concrete, stumbling over his feet as he pitched forward, almost colliding with Kokichi before he caught himself warily. “P-Please, slow down,” Shuichi pleaded as he found his footing. “I-I don’t want to hurt you by falling on top of you.”

Kokichi slowed, releasing Shuichi’s hand so he could walk at his own pace. “Well, it’s not my fault that Saihara-chan is such a slowpoke,” he whined, although the apologetic smile that crossed his face seemed to be enough to put Shuichi at ease.

“I’m not used to walking so fast,” Shuichi responded, a half-hearted attempt at an argument, a smile spreading across his own features as a response to Kokichi’s grin. “I try to watch my surroundings more, it helps a lot when I’m trying to avoid…” He paused, grimacing slightly. “Things…”

Kokichi’s smile faded at that. He had a feeling he knew exactly what Shuichi was talking about. “Weeell,” he hummed, shuffling closer to Shuichi as they continued their trek down the sidewalk. “Now that I’m here, you don’t gotta worry about things like that anymore.” He beamed up at the taller boy. “I’ll protect you, and that’s  _ not _ a lie!”

Shuichi’s cheeks tinted pink, and his hand at his side twitched, his fingers flexing only momentarily before relaxing once more. “Th-Thank you, Ouma-kun,” he whispered, doing his best to look anywhere but at the smiling shorty that insisted on being practically glued to his side. “That means a lot to me.”

“It should!” Kokichi chirped, his arms folded behind his head now. “After all, a supreme leader like me doesn’t just give out his protection all willy-nilly! It has to be earned, and  _ you _ -” he stretched up, gently booping his finger against the tip of Shuichi’s nose- “my dear Saihara-chan, have most definitely earned it!”

Shuichi squeaked a few times before settling into a positively flustered silence, his face burning a bright red as he fidgeted with the strap of his bookbag, his shoulders hunched as his eyes darted about. They walked like that the rest of the way, the silence broken only by Kokichi’s soft, happy humming, as they drew near a neighborhood chock full of cozy looking houses.

Shuichi’s eyes lit up at the sight, and he straightened up. “Oh, these houses are all so  _ tiny _ ,” he gushed, his head swivelling about as he stared.

“They’re really not,” Kokichi responded, his frown evident in his words. “They’re actually pretty standard. Of course, they’d seem small to you, since you live in that huge house your parents own.”

Shuichi flinched at the wording, although he didn’t seem too hurt by it. Kokichi had a point, after all. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, glancing down at his shoes. “You’re right, though, I don’t see many neighborhoods like this, because of where I live. This all seems…” He paused, his eyebrows furrowing as he tried to search for the right word. “Cozier…”

Kokichi tilted his head. “Cozier?” he questioned, seizing Shuichi’s hand and pulling him up a walkway to a house, painted red with a light blue door. “How so?”

“W-Well,” Shuichi stuttered, his voice faltering momentarily as he took in the well-kept lawn and the well-trimmed flora that surrounded the inviting building, “it feels like there’s a stronger sense of community here.” He allowed Kokichi to pull him inside, into a living room that smelled just as nice and inviting as the house looked on the outside. “It feels like you guys care about each other here, like you’re watching out for one another… At my house, the neighbors all feel like they’re just watching you, waiting for you to slip up, so they can laugh about it over the dinner table…” His voice died out again, and Shuichi swallowed, almost nervously, as if there were more he wanted to add, but was afraid to.

Kokichi had to act fast, and change the subject before Shuichi got too sad. “Well, what do you want to do, Saihara-chan?” he questioned suddenly. “Mom isn’t home yet, so we can play some games or something. Or, since you probably have a little homework left, I could help you with that! Whatever you wanna do!”

The taller boy shifted from foot to foot, his hand lifting now to cup his chin as he mulled over his options. “You mentioned games…?” Shuichi asked, his interest piqued.

“Mmhm!” Kokichi hummed, nodding his head vigorously as he moved towards a bookcase. “We have a bunch of video games, but if that isn’t really your style, we have board games as well!” He paused, turning to study Shuichi over his shoulder. “...You look like you’d enjoy a game of Clue.”

There was no way Kokichi could miss the way Shuichi’s face seemed to brighten at the mention of the game. His smile widened, now finally reaching his eyes the way it should, and his body seemed to swell with life that hadn’t been there previously. “Clue sounds like it’d be fun,” he responded, trying his best not to seem all too eager, but the way his hands clenched and unclenched at his backpack strap told a completely different story.

“Clue it is, then,” Kokichi hummed with a soft grin, reaching into the case and pulling the box from where it was stored, plopping it on the coffee table. Shuichi was quick to get himself seated, not before taking off his shoes and storing his backpack safely on the couch sitting close by, his hands resting neatly on the surface of the coffee table, his fingers drumming excitedly on the surface as Kokichi opened the box and set the game up.

They settled into the game quickly, Shuichi easily getting into the game and speaking with such animation and genuine emotion that Kokichi had yet to see while they were at school. He found himself focusing less on the game and more on the way the taller boy’s eyes sparkled each time he made some sort of deduction, making a suggestion on the possible culprit, and the way he concentrated when he wrote down notes on the case before him. Kokichi was only vaguely aware of his body moving, subconsciously responding to the cues that Shuichi gave him, indicating his turn to play, giving whatever feedback he was able to when prompted.

“A-And, that’s why I think Colonel Mustard did it,” Shuichi’s voice jolted Kokichi back to their current situation, confusion clouding his mind only for a moment before he remembered what they were doing. “In the library, with the candlestick.” Kokichi tried his best to make it seem like he had been paying attention the entire game, and not just going through the motions that basic social interaction called for as Shuichi reached for the small envelope, opening it and peering down at the cards inside. One look at the way Shuichi’s smile widened with pure delight told Kokichi that he had deduced everything perfectly, thus claiming the title of ‘winner’ for himself.

Kokichi had opened his mouth to congratulate Shuichi, only to be interrupted as the front door flew open, hitting the wall with surprising force, as Koemi bustled inside, her arms laden with groceries. “Mom!” Kokichi called out, jumping to his feet and rushing over, taking a few from her as Shuichi followed suit.

Koemi’s eyes locked onto Shuichi’s face as he pulled some bags gently from her left hand, her jaw falling slack as she took in his features. “Oh my god… You look so much like your mother…” she breathed, sounding awed.

Shuichi’s face turned a light pink as he smiled, somewhat bashfully. “A-Ah…” was all he managed to stutter out, his gaze flicking to meet Kokichi’s for a moment before flying back to the newcomer. “Th… Thank you…? I think…?”

“Oh! Gosh, that was random,” Koemi muttered, smacking herself in the forehead with the palm of her hand. “Introductions first. My name is Koemi Ouma,” she hummed, tilting her head with a pleasant smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Shuichi’s eyes widened slightly, his lips curling with the barest hint of a smile as his grip tightened on the straps of the bag. “You’re Koemi?” he asked, his voice rising slightly as he bounced on his feet, much like a child. “I’ve seen pictures of you in photo albums my mom and dad leave lying around! You were her best friend, right?”

Koemi’s smile flickered, only for a brief moment, but it was clear that Shuichi had caught it in the way his shoulders had slumped, and the way the anxiety began to spark in his eyes. “We were best friends, once upon a time,” she muttered, turning and depositing what she still held on the counter in the kitchen. “But that’s all in the past.” Koemi whirled about on her heel, fixing Shuichi with a dazzling smile once again. “Welcome to our home! I’m sure it’s not much compared to where you live, but I do hope you’ll be able to make yourself comfortable!”

The anxiety faded from his eyes, although his posture didn’t change, as Shuichi nodded. “Yes, thank you,” the tall boy muttered, placing the bags he held beside Koemi’s before shuffling over to Kokichi’s side again. He stood awfully close, close enough to the point where Kokichi could feel his slight trembling. He flashed him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “So,” Koemi hummed from her spot in the kitchen. “What should we do for supper tonight, boys? Home cooked meal? Or should we do some takeout?”

“Oh!” Kokichi bounced on his feet, waving his hand in the air. Unnecessary, really, but he was excited. “You should make spaghetti! You always make the sauce suuuper good, I think Saihara-chan would reaaally like it!”

“Spaghetti?” Koemi hummed, pressing a finger to her cheek in a thoughtful gesture as she tilted her head. “Does that sound alright, Shuichi?” She glanced at the tall boy, who only nodded as he fidgeted with his sleeve, not quite making eye contact. She frowned slightly at that, but didn’t pry. There was no telling what would happen if she did. “Kich’, why don’t you and Shuichi watch some TV or something while I make supper?” she suggested.

“A-Ah,” Shuichi held his hands out. “Would… Would you mind if I helped? I-I’ve taken some cooking lessons from tutors my parents hired for me, b-but if you don’t want me to help with the cooking, maybe I could set the table or something?”

Koemi and Kokichi both stared at Shuichi for a moment, as if he had grown a second head, before Koemi shook herself out of it and grinned. “Of course you can help with the table,” she said, her voice holding the same inviting tone it had earlier. “Anything to help you feel more at home.”

Shuichi sighed in relief. She seemed to have picked up on his nervousness at being out of his element, and thankfully didn’t call him on it outright. “Well, since Saihara-chan’s gonna help you, I’m going to go see if there’s a movie he and I can watch later!” Kokichi hummed before bouncing from the room, muttering to himself just a bit too loudly over titles and genres Shuichi would possibly enjoy.

“The plates are in this cupboard up here,” Koemi hummed, patting said cupboard almost fondly with the palm of her hand, “and the silverware is in the drawer on the opposite side.” Her violet eyes were absolutely alive, glimmering with all sorts of emotions, most of them positive, to Shuichi’s relief. He allowed himself a brief sigh of relief as he gathered the plates, ceramic, he noted, in his arms, carrying them as carefully as he could to the table. He relished the soft ‘thunk’ of each plate touching down on the wooden surface, each sound hammering the fact that, for once, he wouldn’t be completely alone for supper into his mind.

He laid the silverware out in a similar manner, although there was a napkin keeping them from the table’s surface. It wasn’t something Shuichi was sure they did here, but it was a practice that the staff in his own home followed, and habits were hard to break. “Shuichi, would you mind grabbing some glasses from the cabinet over there?” she hummed, waving the wooden spoon she was using to stir the pasta sauce in it’s direction. “We’ll need them to drink from, although I’m sure you don’t need to be told that.” She giggled to herself. “Ah, don’t mind me, dear, I’m just rambling again.”

“Of course,” Shuichi responded, not even bothering to mask the eagerness in his tone. Koemi’s happiness was just so contagious. It was making him feel giddy in a way that he hadn’t felt in such a long time. Koemi’s smile only seemed to grow as he rushed across the kitchen, his ease in his environment showing in how loosely he moved. He pulled three glasses from the shelves, spinning on his heel to bring them to the table, a bright smile on his face.

He only made it halfway to the table before one of the glasses slipped from his fingers. Shuichi could only watch in silent horror as it crashed against the linoleum floor of the kitchen, shattering into tiny little pieces that skittered across the floor in every direction. A deathly silence had fallen over the house. “Mom?” Kokichi’s voice broke through it, as he usually did, being the loud and boisterous boy he was. “Shuichi? Is everything okay in there?”

“Shuichi?” He jumped, shying away from Koemi’s voice. When had she gotten so close? Was she upset? Oh, god, Shuichi hoped she wasn’t too upset. It was an accident, after all. Despite the reasoning that flew through his head, the boy found his body trembling, his eyes filling with tears against his will, his voice cracking when he tried to get even so much as a word out.

“...Please, don’t…” he managed, choking back the tears that threatened to escape. “I-I didn’t mean to… I d-don’t wanna be…” He felt as if his throat were closing up, threatening to suffocate him with his own words. His fingers flexed in empty air, trying to find something, anything to hold onto as a means of grounding himself and bringing himself back to reality.

It came in the form of warmth. He felt arms snake around him in a comforting hold, tugging him closer to the motherly touch of Koemi Ouma. Shuichi’s eyes widened as one hand came to rest on his back, gently trailing up and down in a gentle manner that he could only just barely recall from the dark recesses of his memory. “It’s okay, Shuichi,” she murmured softly. “No one’s going to do anything to you.”

Her grip, Shuichi noted, was loose, even with its comforting pressure. She was giving him an opportunity to back out, if he wished. He didn’t. He wanted to stay like this forever. The only times he had ever felt this safe was with his old nursemaid, the one who took care of him in his mother’s stead when she was too busy with interviews and filming and such other things.

Shuichi let himself crumple into her, allowing himself just a brief moment of vulnerability as he cried into her shoulder, his fingers knotting themselves in the fabric of her shirt. He heard her call out to Kokichi, reassuring him they were fine. That didn’t stop Kokichi from coming to check on them anyway, lingering just in the doorway as he watched the scene unfold.

They allowed him to cry until he felt he had finished. When he finally lifted his head from Koemi’s shoulder, he was met with patient smiles and worried eyes, though they didn’t say a word. Shuichi was grateful for that. He didn’t feel like talking about the issue. Not yet.

The rest of the evening went on without a hitch. The events of earlier had been set aside, yet certainly not forgotten, in favor of light-hearted conversations at the dinner table, topics ranging anywhere from Koemi’s day at work to the pranks Kokichi had planned later on in the week, and who were the unfortunate victims. Much to Shuichi’s amusement, they seemed to mostly be directed at Kaito (“he has the best reactions, Saihara-chan, you should see them some time!” Kokichi had declared, brandishing his fork for emphasis). They didn’t even look annoyed when Shuichi would falter in his speech, chasing down whatever word seemed to elude him at that given moment. It was all patient smiles and interested gazes, which made Shuichi smile a bit more and sit up straighter.

Was this what it felt like to be part of a family, Shuichi wondered as the three of them worked together to clear the table. He hoped so. He felt so safe and welcome here, not that his own home didn’t feel safe or welcoming, but it certainly lacked the warmth that he was feeling here. He almost never wanted to leave.

The night continued on, ending with the three of them sitting down together to watch an anime that Kokichi kept rambling about, something about a zodiac curse, or something along those lines? Kokichi was even kind enough to start over from the very beginning to allow Shuichi to understand what was happening.

Drowsiness was beginning to plague his mind as he watched the screen, the bright colors beginning to blur as he slowly but surely lost his focus. He could feel Kokichi sitting beside him, just close enough so that Shuichi could feel the heat radiating from his body. He shifted toward it subconsciously, leaning his head back against the back of the couch as he closed his eyes. A little nap couldn’t hurt, right?

~~~~~~~

Kokichi flinched in surprise as Shuichi’s head fell to rest on his shoulder, his eyes wide as he turned to look at the sleeping boy. His gaze flicked to Koemi’s for a brief moment, registering the amusement sparking in her eyes as she looked on. “I’m assuming we’re calling it for tonight, then?” Koemi hummed, reaching for the remote to turn off the television.

Kokichi could only bring himself to nod, not wanting to wake Shuichi by speaking too loudly. “...Should we just… leave him out here?” Kokichi asked quietly, studying the taller boy’s expression. He hadn’t seen him look so peaceful like this before. “I don’t want to accidentally wake him up by taking him to the guest room, and I’d hate to make him go all the way back to his house…”

“Why don’t you both spend the night out here?” Koemi suggested from her chair. “Like a sleepover. That way he won’t be alone in an unfamiliar place.” She stood, brushing her hands on her pants. “I’ll get some pillows and blankets for the two of you.”

She left, returning soon with the blankets from Kokichi’s bed, as well as a few from the hall closet. She dumped them in a pile on the floor before going back for some pillows, passing one of them to Kokichi so he could move Shuichi off of him. He winced at the look of discomfort that passed over the taller boy’s face, his eyes fluttering open to make contact with Kokichi’s own.

Shuichi inhaled sharply, and Kokichi quickly moved his hands away, allowing for Shuichi to bolt upright, his eyes wide as he looked around. Once he realized he recognized his surroundings, Shuichi sighed, hanging his head for a moment before glancing upwards once more. “Did I fall asleep?” he mumbled. “I’m sorry…”

Kokichi shook his head. “No, it’s alright, don’t be sorry,” he reassured him quickly, smiling warmly. “We were just trying to get you more comfortable, is all. I was going to head to bed soon.” He gestured to the pile of blankets on the floor.

Shuichi blinked up at him before he tilted his head. “Y-You were going to sleep on the floor?” he asked, his tone suggesting that he was concerned. “W-Won’t that hurt your back?”

Kokichi shrugged, a lopsided grin coming to his face. “Nah, it’s not the first time I’ve slept on the floor. It’s no fun having a sleepover with your friends if one of you takes the bed.” His teeth shone in the light from the lamps nearby.

“Oh, alright,” he murmured, looking down and playing with his fingers for a moment. “Ah, um, would you mind pointing me to the bathroom?” The question came out a mumble, with Shuichi avoiding Kokichi’s gaze in a rather shy manner.

“Y-Yeah,” Kokichi answered, mentally cursing himself for the way he stuttered. “It’s, uh, down the hall over there, to the left.” He pointed dumbly in the direction of the bathroom, watching as Shuichi nodded, mumbling his thanks before he pushed himself off the couch and headed off in the direction of the bathroom.

As soon as Shuichi was around the corner and out of sight, Kokichi let out a soft groan, covering his face with his hands. God, this guy… He was too pure. Not really, of course, from the sounds of it he was a little messed up because of whatever happened when he was younger but… He was just so eager to have a friend. Kokichi felt his cheeks burn. It was kinda cute, if he was being honest… Not that he’d say that out loud, of course. Shuichi was just a guy who needed a friend, and Kokichi liked having friends.

He rearranged the blankets so he’d be comfortable on the floor before flopping down and burying his face into his pillow. He recalled the nights when he was younger, when Rantaro and Miu would come over and spend the night on a weekend, and they’d make popcorn and marathon anime until the sun came peeking through the window and one of them passed out from mere exhaustion. His lips curled into a smile at the thought. Maybe they should do that again, and include Shuichi. He could use the exposure to having friends, and besides, Miu and Rantaro definitely seemed like they’d be easier to adjust to Shuichi’s presence. Kaito… that was a whole other issue.

Kokichi lay like that for a while, lost in his thoughts, when he was startled back to reality by the soft sounds of rustling. He felt the rush of air as a blanket thumped against the ground a few feet away from him, and he lifted his head to find Shuichi rearranging his blankets on the floor before he sat cross-legged on top of them, hugging the pillow he had taken to his chest and grinning brightly. “W… What are you doing?” Kokichi asked dumbly, his eyes wide as he stared at Shuichi.

The taller boy’s smile grew sheepish, and he raised one hand to scratch nervously at his cheek, a red tint barely visible on his face in the shadows. “W… Well… You did say it wasn’t fun if one of us had a bed, so… I thought the same would apply with sleeping on a couch, too…” Shuichi laughed nervously, although he averted his gaze. “I… It is okay, right? I can m-move back, if you want.”

Kokichi began to panic as he saw Shuichi’s smile darken with uncertainty, and he shot a hand out. “No, no, you’re fine right there,” he said quickly. “You don’t have to move back to the couch unless you want to.” And there was that smile again, making Shuichi’s nose crinkle with its intensity as he tilted his head.

“I’m glad. Thanks for inviting me over,” he murmured, laying the pillow down and getting himself comfortable before closing his eyes. “Even if we didn’t mean for this to turn into me spending the night… It’s nice. Having you as a friend…” His voice trailed off. His steady breathing filled the room. Shuichi must have been tired, Kokichi mused, studying his face for a moment before he shut his eyes, too. They had school in the morning, after all.

There was a few moments of silence before Shuichi’s voice picked up again, this time with the hint of tiredness and tears. “Having you as a friend is the best thing to have ever happened to me…”

Oh, alright. There goes his heart for a second time. Kokichi did his best to keep his face from twitching into a frown, in case Shuichi was watching him for a reaction. There was another heartbeat of silence before Shuichi shuffled around in his makeshift bed, a shuddering sigh leaving his lips as he quietly grew still.

Those words were the only thing Kokichi could think about as he finally, truly drifted off into sleep, the sound of Shuichi’s sad voice echoing through his dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I have a discord server for my writing now! If you'd like to chat with me and get live updates when I post chapters of fics, take a trip to the summary for the invite link!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all sorry for the lack of summary, I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to describe this new chapter.
> 
> Second of all, YAY UPDATE!!
> 
> This chapter took me so long to write, I kept getting stuck, but I managed to finish it finally! I hope you all enjoy!

When Kokichi woke up the next morning, Shuichi was still fast asleep, bundled up in his blankets as if it were his cocoon. He sat up quietly, shifting the blankets around himself to gather them without making too much noise. He could see the dark circles beneath his friend’s eyes, he must not have slept well. He’d leave him to sleep a little while longer. He stood, quietly and carefully, not wanting to wake Shuichi with any unnecessarily loud movements. He deserved his rest, after all. Something told Kokichi that he hadn’t slept this soundly in a while.

Maybe he could make breakfast for the two of them, he mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he stepped into the kitchen. But what could he make? He was only ever used to making a bowl of cereal or at least a piece of toast for himself before he headed out the door, and he doubted that’d be a filling option for Shuichi, especially since he had a personal chef or something that cooked for him at home.

Kokichi stood in the middle of the darkened kitchen for a while, his eyes narrowed in thought as he stared blankly at the counter before him. Pancakes? Everyone liked pancakes, right? They were easy to make, and they were filling. Hopefully they had some pancake mix left, although Kokichi wouldn’t have minded making them from scratch. They tasted better that way, in his opinion, but he didn’t feel like waking Shuichi up by making a mess if he didn’t need to. He headed over to the fridge, grabbing two eggs from the carton and the milk, leaving them on the counter as he reached for the step stool they kept nearby, dragging it over to the cupboard where they kept all their boxed goods.

A grin crossed his face when he spotted an open box of pancake mix, climbing up on the step stool to reach into the cabinet and pull it down from its home nestled among the other boxes. He scanned the ingredient list once, making sure he had all the items he needed before he swiftly climbed down, stashing the step stool away again before he set to work.

It wasn’t long before Kokichi had two decent sized pancakes cooking away in a pan, and two more in another nearby. The smell was absolutely enticing, and Kokichi just couldn’t wait to sit down and enjoy the meal. It had been a while since he had actually made pancakes, now that he thought about it. He made a mental note to make them more often.

He could hear Shuichi stirring out in the living room, letting out a soft, sleepy groan as he sat up and looked around blearily, rubbing at his eyes. “Huh…?” he grumbled, his voice raspy with sleep. “Ouma-kun…?”

“In the kitchen,” Kokichi called out as he grabbed the spatula to flip the pancakes. “I’m making pancakes for breakfast, I thought that they’d be a good idea.”

Shuichi came shuffling into the kitchen, his hair a mess and his eyes still bleary with sleep as he leaned against the counter, stifling a yawn with his hand. “You didn’t have to make breakfast…” he mumbled quietly. “We could have stopped on the way to school or something.”

Kokichi shrugged his shoulders as he slid the pans off the stove, moving the pancakes to the plates that he had set out. “Yeah, we could have, but nothing beats good old homemade food, you know? Tender love and care, and all that other sappy bullshit.” He gave Shuichi a lopsided grin as he held one of the plates out to him.

Shuichi managed a tired smile back at him as he took it, his grip on the plate tight and careful. Kokichi supposed he didn’t want to drop it like he had the glass the night before. His lips tugged downward in a subtle frown as he thought back on it. Koemi hadn’t looked surprised when Shuichi was clinging to her. Had she been expecting it? He’d have to remember to ask her later. 

He set his own plate of pancakes down at the table, flicking on the overhead light before he turned to dig in the cupboards for a bottle of syrup. “Do you want anything on your pancakes?” Kokichi called over his shoulder as he continued to rifle through the cabinet.

Shuichi was silent for a moment, making Kokichi question whether or not he actually heard him, before he opened his mouth. “W… Whipped cream?” His voice was soft, his tone lilting, as if it were more of a question than a preference. “I-If it’s not too much trouble, that is.”

“‘Course not,” Kokichi hummed, not having the energy to lie. He’d be bouncing right back after he ate his breakfast. He turned from the cupboard, syrup bottle in hand, and shuffled over to the fridge, opening it and grabbing the canister from the door. He kicked the door shut, cursing mentally when he saw Shuichi flinch from the noise. “Sorry,” he mumbled, walking over to the table and placing the canister in front of him.

“I-It’s fine,” Shuichi stuttered out, eying the canister for a moment before taking it into his hands. He turned it over a few times, studying the labels. “It’s just an overreaction, anyway, I shouldn’t be freaking out like that.”

Kokichi raised an eyebrow at that, but held his tongue on the matter. Instead, he focused on the fact that Shuichi seemed to be a little lost. “Have you never used one of those before?” he asked, gesturing at the can of whipped cream with his fork.

Shuichi’s cheeks turned an embarrassed shade of pink, and he looked up at Kokichi sheepishly. “The cook at home usually does this for me,” he admitted quietly. “I’ve tried once when I was younger, but I made a mess and got scolded for it. I haven’t been allowed to touch one of these since.”

“Damn, really? Guess you’re just about as useless as a newborn baby,” Kokichi commented, although his smile and tone carried a gentle warmth, one that suggested he was only kidding as he stood, reaching for the can. “Watch what I do, so you know for next time.”

Shuichi’s eyes widened. “Huh? Next time?” he asked. “There’s going to be a next time?”

“Uh, yeah,” Kokichi responded as he gave Shuichi’s pancakes a good helping of whipped cream on top. “We’re friends, remember? Friends do this sort of thing with each other a lot. Ran-chan and Miu-chan would do this a lot too, especially on the weekends. It was a lot of fun, you know, I think you’d enjoy it.”

Kokichi could tell that Shuichi was intrigued by the idea, made evident by the way his eyes sparkled thoughtfully as he busied himself with shoveling his pancakes into his mouth. His eyes widened as he chewed, and he swallowed quickly. “These are really good, Ouma-kun, even better than the cook at home!”

Kokichi snorted, cutting a small piece off with his fork and eating it. “Well your parents must not have hired the right person to take care of their son, because all I did was use pancake mix. If I managed to make these taste better than a professional chef, then there’s something really wrong there.”

Shuichi laughed at that, quickly finishing off his plate. “Thank you for the meal, Ouma-kun,” he said, smiling brightly as he headed over to set the plate in the sink. “It was really good, I promise.”

Kokichi turned, frowning in confusion when he heard the water running. “What are you doing?” he asked, tilting his head.

“Oh,” Shuichi seemed to jump at Kokichi’s question, and he turned back to face him, looking sheepish. “I-I just thought I’d wash my plate for you, so you wouldn’t have to bother with it.”

Kokichi tilted his head, looking confused. “We have a dishwasher to do that, you don’t have to wash it by hand. Besides, you’re the guest, you shouldn’t be washing dishes for us.” He stood, now finished with his own meal, and crossed the kitchen with his plate in hand. “I’ll take care of this, why don’t you go do what you need to get ready for school today?”

Shuichi glanced at him, seemingly reluctant to pass the plate over to Kokichi. “I really don’t mind,” he said quietly, averting his gaze as he spoke. “I just want to feel useful, I’m… a little out of my element here.”

Ah, so he was just trying to feel in control of the situation. Kokichi could respect that. He shrugged one shoulder. “Alright,” he conceded, leaving his plate on the counter. “Just be careful with the drain in the sink. It sticks sometimes, so it can overflow. I’m going to go get dressed.”

Shuichi nodded, dutifully turning back to the sink and beginning to scrub away at the dishes. It amused Kokichi to some degree, the fact that he insisted on doing it by hand. Maybe it was because he usually had maids and such doing this for him at home? Whatever the reason, Shuichi seemed content, and it's not like he was hurting anyone, so he had no reason to stop him.

It didn’t take long for Kokichi to get changed, opting to wear his purple hoodie over his checkered t-shirt, paired with black skinny jeans and his mismatched shoes, one purple and one checkered. He wasn’t sure why he wore them like that, he just liked the fact that it seemed to disrupt things. A little drop of chaos in what was otherwise a pretty peaceful life.

When he exited his room, Shuichi was no longer in the kitchen. He had retreated to the bathroom, most likely to get changed in the clothes he had worn before. Kokichi almost felt bad that he had no clean clothing to offer Shuichi, and they hadn’t thought to let him use their washer and dryer in the basement for whatever reason. The thought just hadn’t seemed to cross his or Koemi’s mind.

He knew Shuichi wouldn’t complain, but still…

He sat down on the couch to wait, turning on the television and mindlessly flicking through the channels to kill some time. The news channels he skipped over immediately, looking disgusted. They always spouted the same useless drivel anyway, nothing that he could be bothered with. He eventually settled on a random channel playing some anime, the colors were at least enough to distract him.

He had lost his focus when he heard the bathroom door open. “Sorry I took so long,” Shuichi said softly as he crouched over his bag, making sure everything was neatly inside. “One of the maids called while I was in there, they were worried when I didn’t come home last night.”

“You shoulda told them you were kidnapped,” Kokichi responded with a shrug. “And that they had to pay a ransom to get you back. Then again, Saihara-chan is a terrible liar, they’d be able to see right through it.

“I-I am not!” Shuichi protested, his cheeks flushing and his voice wavering. “I-I can lie just as good a-as anyone else!”

Kokichi grinned, raising an eyebrow. “Are you sure? It’s kinda hard to tell with the way your voice is shaking,” he pointed out, his tone light and teasing. The red on Shuichi’s cheeks darkened further at that, and he pouted slightly. “Oh, come on Shu, I’m kidding.” He stood from the couch, shutting the television off and crossing over to stand above him, reaching down to ruffle the kneeling boy’s hair. “You’ll get it eventually. Now, come on, I have some business to take care of when we get to school.”

~~~~~~

Once they reached the gates, Kokichi sent Shuichi off to the library with a quiet promise to meet up with him later, before the bell rang. He was being honest about the business he had to attend to, after all.

It didn’t take him long to find who he was looking for, dirty blonde and green hanging out by the fountain they usually gathered at in the mornings. Kokichi breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed Kaito wasn’t with them. Perfect, he wasn’t sure if he could trust him with this. “Hey, there you losers are!” Kokichi called out, raising his hand in a wave. “I’ve been looking for you foreeeever!”

“Oh, sure,” Miu scoffed, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms, trying to act annoyed. The fond smile on her face betrayed her. “So, what the hell do you want? Something about one of our old get-togethers?”

Rantaro raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. “We haven’t done one of those since we were younger. I thought you said we were all a little too old for that sort of thing.” His words weren’t accusatory, instead tinged with curiosity.

“Yeah, but that was before this whole thing happened,” Kokichi responded, waving his hand. “I think it’d do Saihara-chan some good.”

“Saihara-kun,” Rantaro echoed, his voice tinged with surprise that didn’t seem to reach his eyes. “You’re really serious about helping him, huh?”

“Of course I am,” Kokichi snapped, his eyes narrowing. “Look, I can’t go into specifics, because it isn’t my story to tell, but Saihara-chan came over to my house last night and… and he’s lonely.” He paused, pressing his lips into a thin line. “I’m pretty sure I’m his only friend, and I don’t want that to stay a reality.”

Miu’s eyes softened as Kokichi explained. “So Shy-hara really isn’t as bad as everyone makes him out to be,” she muttered, looking thoughtful. She glanced at Rantaro, pursing her lips for a moment before she nodded, placing her hands on her hips and shifting her weight on her feet. “Alright, I’m in! It won’t be any fun without a gorgeous girl genius, after all!”

“Oh, really?” Kokichi tilted his head, biting back a smile. “I didn’t know you had friends like that, Miu-chan! You’ll have to introduce me to her some time!”

“Oh, fuck  _ off _ , you asshole,” Miu exclaimed, shoving Kokichi lightly. She couldn’t help but grin, though, as Kokichi dissolved into laughter. “What about you, avocado?” The inventor turned, studying Rantaro almost suspiciously. “You in or not?

Rantaro stared blankly at the two of them for a moment before he chuckled and shook his head, shrugging his shoulders. “Ah, why the hell not? Any friend of Kokichi’s is a friend of mine.”

Kokichi grinned, bouncing excitedly on his feet. “Wow, you guys aren’t totally useless after all! I _knew_ I could count on you too!”

Miu scoffed, rolling her eyes as she reached out and ruffled Kokichi’s hair. “Yeah, yeah, we love you too, you annoying little prick. Now, we gotta get planning. Operation: Shy-hara’s First Sleepover is a go!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for reading! If you're new here, make sure to leave a kudos, and leave a comment down below telling me your thoughts on the chapter!! See you next update!


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